Sumps are widely used in the field of secondary containment for the underground transfer of hazardous fluids, for example gasoline. Sumps are commonly placed on top of the fluid storage tank and beneath a manhole cover in gas stations, such sumps are commonly referred to as tank sumps. The tank sumps form an access chamber and in a pressure system house a portion of a pump and associated piping fittings. In a suction system, the tank sump does not house a pump but will typically include fuel piping. The sump generally has through-wall openings to permit the passage of pipes going into the tank and through the sidewall of the sump. These openings may have gaskets or bulkhead fittings to form a fluidtight seal about the pipe and prevent ground water from leaking into the sump and hazardous fluid from escaping into the environment.
From time to time, these sumps may develop leaks due to ground movement, improper installation, or degradation of seals from microbial action, etc. Prior efforts at remedial action generally involved: (i) excavation of a six-by-six foot area down to the top of the fluid storage tank; (ii) complete removal of the existing sump; and (iii) installation of a new sump. This type of remedial action is labor intensive, time consuming and expensive.
In view of the foregoing, there is a need for repair of an existing sump without excavation. The present invention provides a novel and unobvious method and apparatus for satisfying this existing need in the secondary containment industry.